Intermediate shafts (I-shafts) are designed to be a component of torque transfer from a steering column to a steering gear. They may also allow axial movement while maintaining this ability to transfer torque. I-shafts that utilize ball bearings that roll between a metal solid shaft and a metal tubular shaft are commonly referred to as rolling element I-shafts.
Such I-shafts may include retainer caps designed to contain the ball bearings and keep out undesired contaminants. Retainer caps traditionally include a snap feature and a ball stop. The snap feature is a bendable section of the retainer cap that can be displaced to a desired limit and then snapped into a recessed mating surface on the tube. The ball stop is a surface or feature that can stop rolling ball bearings during collapse or extension without deforming or failing.
Previous designs have required the retainer cap to be placed on the solid shaft before a stake yoke is pressed onto the solid shaft. However, the cap may be loose on the solid shaft before the yoke is pressed, thereby requiring the loose retainer cap and solid shaft be kept upright and away from possible crushing loads. Were the retainer cap to be damaged after the stake yoke is pressed, the assembly may be discarded as scrap. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved retainer cap.